Mark Phillips has some strong opinions on where sketch comedy stands today.
The RDCWorld comedian recently appeared on the You Should Know Podcast to give some insight on sketch comedy shows, saying that they “cannot exist in today’s world.”
When pitching his ideas to Hollywood executives, he noticed that nobody in the movie industry wanted to “take a risk and make a whole new idea.” Phillips said that execs often suggested he do a sketch show.
“if I write a comedy idea, a skit show, they’ll give it to me in like 10 minutes,” Phillips said at around the 1:09:30 minute mark. “They’ll be like, ‘What about a sketch show?’ I’m like, ‘No!’ I don’t want no sketch show.”
Phillips elaborated, explaining that sketch shows are better suited for online platforms like TikTok because of their faster pace.
“People don’t understand—what we need a sketch show for when we can make sketches on the internet? That’s the show now," he explained. "If you make a sketch show, we gotta go get a Hollywood production, you take a whole year and whatever we’re about to make that’s supposed to be ‘relatable,’ is gone within a year ‘cause it gotta take all that time to come out.”
He added, “That’s why Saturday Night Live doesn’t connect with the youth. The youth like speed … they like relevancy.”
To Phillips' point, SNL recently made a splash a sketch making fun of TikTok influencers that was essentially just TikTok on your TV screen—except it likely garnered more views on social media platforms than it did on TV.
When it comes to addressing viral moments, RDCWorld produces comedic content nearly as quickly as the news cycle. Phillips and his team recently spoofed the moment Dwyane Wade received his Miami Heat statue last month, sparking a flood of internet jokes about how little the monument resembles the retired NBA star.
All of this reflects why Phillips and his RDCWorld crew made it onto Complex's ranking of the Funniest People on the Internet Right Now, landing at the No. 3 spot. BenDaDonnn and Drewski came in at No. 2 and No. 1, respectively.
